Touring Venerable Temples of Soto Zen Buddhism in Japan Plan

The Soto Zen School has two head temples. One is the Soujiji in Tsurumi, Yokohama. The other is the Eiheiji in Fukui Prefecture. In 1244, Dogen Zenji, the founder of Soto Zen, opened a temple called the Sanshoho Daibutsuji, the name of which was later changed to Kichijozan Eiheiji. This was the beginning of the Eiheiji as we know it now.

The Soto Zen School has two head temples. One is the Eiheiji; the other the Sojiji. Keizan Zenji (1227–1325) was head of the temple Morookaji, in modern Ishikawa Prefecture. In 1321, he renamed the temple the Shogaku-zan Sojiji. When this Sojiji burned down during the Meiji period (1867–1912), it was relocated in Yokohama, where it is today.